In an article that originally appeared in the Everton matchday programme, Leighton Baines tackled a range topics in our Name Game feature.
We gave the Toffees left-back a selection of themes to discuss - with each subject beginning with a letter from his name.
Read below as Baines discusses the subjects he most enjoyed at school, his favourite football stadiums and the "fairly messy" teammates he sits next to in the Everton dressing room!
L is for Liverpool. What’s your favourite part of the city?
Bold Street. I spend most of my time in that part of town, it’s a bit quieter. There’s a lot of independent shops, it’s quite eclectic. It’s also got the two best places for coffee.
E is for Education. Apart from PE, what was your best subject at school?
I quite enjoyed English and history. There was an interest there that has carried on into my adult life. I like reading, I like different writing styles and different types of literature.
I is for Instrument. Can you any play musical instruments?
Not really. I tried to learn guitar for a while, and I can kind of fumble my way through a few bits. I know a few chords but that’s it.
G is for Goodison. What does it mean to you?
It’s still my favourite stadium in the world. I love its history, the atmosphere… It’s my favourite place to play football.
H is for Hair. Who spends longest in front of the mirror at Everton?
A few of the lads have been talking about that, pointing fingers at each other, so I don’t want to get involved! I’ll stay out of that one.
T is for Television. Favourite TV programme?
If I do catch something at the minute on Netflix, it’s the World War 2 in Colour series. It’s brilliant.
O is for Olympics. What event do you enjoy watching the most?
Boxing. I enjoy the sport in general, so I’ll go for that.
N is for National Team. Who will win the European Championship?
Tough one but I’ll go for France.
B is for Books. What are you reading at the moment?
Right now, I’m re-reading a James Ellroy novel called American Tabloid. I read the book more than 10 years ago and then I watched the film The Irishman on Netflix, and that kind of took me back to it.
A is for Angry. What angers you?
Not a lot, to be honest. Maybe slack timekeeping, but that’s more of an annoyance rather than something that makes me really angry.
I is for Intelligence. Who’s the most intelligent person you’ve had as a teammate?
One that springs to mind, not just general intelligence but in footballing intelligence, is Mikel [Arteta]. He understood the game. He’s a very smart guy and, in the past few years, I’ve been looking forward to him making that step to becoming a manager. I think he’s going to be very, very good.
N is for Neighbour. Who do you sit next to in the dressing room?
I sit between Oumar [Niasse] and Tom [Davies]. It can become a bit of an untidy area, they’re both fairly messy! But they are people who I enjoy spending time with.
E is for Entertainment. Who’s the most entertaining person you’ve had as a teammate?
We’ve had a few. The likes of Ossie [Leon Osman], Tim Howard and Hibbo [Tony Hibbert], we had like a little gang when they were here, so I’ll go for them.
S is for Stadium. What’s your favourite football ground, apart from Goodison?
I still gravitate towards the more traditional stadiums. I always enjoy going to Stamford Bridge. Even Craven Cottage, it’s small and doesn’t really lend itself to generating a great atmosphere, but it has a lot of character.
